Alf Proysen

Alf Prøysen was a Norwegian author, poet, playwright, songwriter and musician. He was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the 20th century. He worked in several different media including books, newspapers and records. He also made significant contributions to literature, music, TV and radio. He was born and raised in a rural farm family in Hedmark county. He became an apprentice at the Norwegian School of Applied Sciences, where he was a copywriter and actor in the annual student reviews from 1942 to 1945. He became associated with NRK, making his recording debut in 1947. Prøysen soon became a national celebrity. Through songs such as Husmannspolka, Tango for to, Lillebrors vise, Du ska få en dag i mårå, Julekveldsvis, Jørgen Hattemaker, Musevisa and Romjulsdrøm he became extremely popular through the 1950s and 1960s. Prøysen contributed to many artistic fields: children's radio, short stories, theater and music. Most of his stories and songs took place in an environment similar to the rural village where he grew up. In 1945 he debuted with Dørstokken heme, a collection of short stories. His only novel Trost i taklampa (1950) was a success both as a book and as a play. He was frequently featured on radio and television programs during the 1950s and 1960s. Prøysen was awarded the Norwegian Cultural Council Honorary Prize in 1970. He died of cancer at the age of 56.